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Our worst and oldest test side ever

Started by Saffolk 8 REPLIES772 VIEWS· 28 Jan 2020, 21:19
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SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
28 Jan 2020, 21:19
#1
28 Jan 2020, 21:19#1
That last test must have have fielded the oldest side ever. It certainly was the worst side I have seen since readmission. The average age of the side was bloody 30!! Nortje at 26 was the youngest Elgar 32 Malan 30 Rassie 30 Faf 35 de Kock 27 Bavuma 29 turning 30 in 3 months Pretorious 30 turning 31 in 2 months Philander 34 Nortje 26 Hendricks 29 turning 30 in 4 months Paterson 30 turning 31 in 2 months Only de Kock and Nortje the two youngest are worthy after this series with de Kock averaging close to 50 and Nortje cementing his place in the side Philander has retired, I’d dump the rest and start afresh
MO
Mozart
Captain49,914 posts
MO
MozartCaptain49,914 posts
28 Jan 2020, 22:25
#2
28 Jan 2020, 22:25#2

With what...a team of youngsters who can’t even persuade the selectors they are a better than a  clutch of journeymen 30 year olds? There is merit to the argument that it’s time to renew.....but not if Hamza is the best of the new crap er crop .

CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
28 Jan 2020, 22:26
#3
28 Jan 2020, 22:26#3

Dave

I have ever heard of a developing cricket side for the future with an average age of 30 before,  By them the players should performs as an experienced side - which this one is not. 

For interests sake I looked at the English siude that beat the Proteas hollow and their average age is 27.   In that team the ages are as follows:-

33      =  2 players

30      =   1 player

29      =   3 players

28      =    1 player

24      =     1 player

22     =      1 player

21     =      2 players 

That is more or less what a developing side should look like,  Denly (33)  is on his way out and he will ne replaced by Burns   

 

 

SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
28 Jan 2020, 23:25
#4
28 Jan 2020, 23:25#4
Moz given our selectors are a bunch of nobodies they are hardly the measure now are they. You have a short memory - after the first test you were impressed with Hamza Who said he was the best of the young crop? The selectors? I’d rather see six 20 year old bats failing than six 30 year olds failing - it’s that simple I have seen the likes of Bird, van Tonder, Breetske, Richards, Janneman Malan and Verreyne batting and they all show good technique as did Hamza. I’m not saying they will all make it but they are the next batch coming through along with Markram. Invest in them as there is absolutely no point in continuing with Elgar, Malan, Rassie, Faf and Bavuma. My call would be to cull them and play the youngsters. Yours would be to retain these failures shock shock! You base your take on all the young bats in SA on the form of Hamza - that is ridiculous
MO
Mozart
Captain49,914 posts
MO
MozartCaptain49,914 posts
29 Jan 2020, 00:19
#5
29 Jan 2020, 00:19#5

No I recall....Hamza looked stylish. But stylish doesn’t win matches. My call would be to play the youngsters who have made a strong case, and given how poor we are, I’d even give a tie to the youngster. 

But the idea of a team of youngsters never works. You need some experienced players to lend stability. And experience doesn’t have to be age related. Rabada is close to being experienced now and de Ock is certainly a veteran.

SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
29 Jan 2020, 00:47
#6
29 Jan 2020, 00:47#6
Agreed de Kock, Rabada and Maharaj provide some experience, Markram to a lesser extent with 20 tests. Nortje is new but will feel he fits after this series. That’s half the side accounted for plus Ngidi if he can stay fit Andile the all rounder has a good few ODI’s behind him and a test or two. Then we have Hamza who is stylish and should not be tossed yet That’s seven players to start with It’s not going to happen though The likes of Malan, Rassie and Bavuma will stay as will useless Hendricks thanks to a 5 wicket haul
MO
Mozart
Captain49,914 posts
MO
MozartCaptain49,914 posts
29 Jan 2020, 02:05
#7
29 Jan 2020, 02:05#7

These guys like Hendricks and Paterson get wickets when the batsmen get bored and lose focus. They can never make things happen.

SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
29 Jan 2020, 02:21
#8
29 Jan 2020, 02:21#8
Exactly and in that second innings England were looking to push things
CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
29 Jan 2020, 14:01
#9
29 Jan 2020, 14:01#9

Faf calls that lot a "young team"  -  maybe they are young compared to him, but a young team it s not.  

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